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Light Aircraft Carrier
A light aircraft carrier is an aircraft carrier that is smaller than the standard carriers of a navy. The precise definition of the type varies by country; light carriers typically have a complement of aircraft only ½ to ⅔ the size of a full-sized or "fleet" carrier. A light carrier was a similar concept to an escort carrier in most respects, however light carriers were intended for higher speeds to be deployed alongside fleet carriers, while escort carriers usually defended convoys and provided air support during amphibious operations. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Light_aircraft_carrier&action=edit&section=1 edit History In World War II, the United States Navy produced a number of light carriers by converting cruiser hulls. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_class_aircraft_carrier Independence-class aircraft carriers], converted from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_class_cruiser Cleveland-class] light cruisers, were unsatisfactory ships for aviation with their narrow, short decks and slender, high-sheer hulls; in virtually all respects the escort carriers were superior aviation vessels. The Independence-class ships, however, had the virtue of being available at a time when available carrier decks had been reduced to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Enterprise_(CV-6) Enterprise] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Saratoga_(CV-3) Saratoga] in the Pacific and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ranger_(CV-4) Ranger] in the Atlantic. In addition, unlike escort carriers, they had enough speed to take part in fleet actions with the larger carriers. Late in the war, a follow on design to the Independence-class, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saipan_class_aircraft_carrier Saipan-class], was designed. Two vessels in this class—[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Saipan_(CVL-48) Saipan] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Wright_(CVL-49) Wright]—were completed after the war's end. After very brief lives as carriers, the Saipans were converted to command and communication ships. The British 1942 design light fleet carrier was a scaled-down version of their [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illustrious_class_aircraft_carrier Illustrious-class] fleet carrier. The design could be built in a yard with little or no experience of warship construction. Although built to merchant standards, the design incoporated better water-tight subdivision. Expected to have a lifetime of about three years, the last of the design was taken out of service in 2001. In the post-war period, the Royal Navy operated a force of ten [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus_class_aircraft_carrier Colossus] class carriers including the two maintenance carriers. In all, fifteen ships were completed from the 1942 design, of which most of the Colossus class and all the eventually completed [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majestic_class_aircraft_carrier Majestic''s] were variously sold to Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, India and The Netherlands.[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Light_aircraft_carrier&action=edit&section=2 edit Current light carrier use Currently 7 light aircraft carriers are in service. The newest light carriers are the Italian [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_aircraft_carrier_Cavour_(550) ''Cavour] and the Spanish [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_ship_Juan_Carlos_I_(L61) Juan Carlos I], which were commissioned in 2009 and 2010 respectively. ;Italy *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_aircraft_carrier_Giuseppe_Garibaldi_(551) Giuseppe Garibaldi] *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_aircraft_carrier_Cavour_(550) Cavour] ;Spain *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_aircraft_carrier_Principe_de_Asturias Príncipe de Asturias] *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_ship_Juan_Carlos_I_(L61) Juan Carlos I] ;India *''INS Viraat'' ;Thailand *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTMS_Chakri_Naruebet HTMS Chakri Naruebet] ;United Kingdom *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Illustrious_(R06) HMS Illustrious] http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Light_aircraft_carrier&action=edit&section=3 edit List of light carriers ;Argentina *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARA_Independencia_(V-1) ARA Independencia] (Colossus class) *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARA_Veinticinco_de_Mayo_(V-2) ARA Veinticinco de Mayo] (Colossus class) ;Australia *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Sydney_(R17) HMAS Sydney] (Majestic class) *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Vengeance_(R71) HMAS Vengeance] (Colossus class) *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Melbourne_(R21) HMAS Melbourne] (Majestic class) ;Canada *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMCS_Warrior_(R31) HMCS Warrior] (Colossus class) *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMCS_Magnificent_(CVL_21) HMCS Magnificent] (Majestic class) *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMCS_Bonaventure_(CVL_22) HMCS Bonaventure] (Majestic class) ;Brazil *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_aircraft_carrier_Minas_Gerais Minas Gerais] (Colossus class) ;France *''Lafeyette'' class(ex-''Independence'' class): **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bois_Belleau_(R97) Bois Belleau] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Fayette_(R96) La Fayette] *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FS_Arromanches FS Arromanches] (Colossus class) ;Japan *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Hosho Hosho] *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Ry%C5%ABj%C5%8D Ryūjō] *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zuih%C5%8D_class_aircraft_carrier Zuihō class][2][2][3][3] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Zuih%C5%8D Zuihō] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Sh%C5%8Dh%C5%8D Shōhō] *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Ry%C5%ABh%C5%8D Ryūhō][4][5] *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Chitose Chitose class][6][6][7][7] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Chitose Chitose] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Chiyoda Chiyoda] ;India *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INS_Vikrant_(R11) INS Vikrant] (Majestic class) - Decommissioned and converted to a museum ship in Mumbai *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INS_Viraat_(R22) INS Viraat] (Centaur class) ;Netherlands *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HNLMS_Karel_Doorman_(R81) HNLMS Karel Doorman] (Colossus class) ;Spain *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_aircraft_carrier_D%C3%A9dalo Dédalo] (Independence class) *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_aircraft_carrier_Principe_de_Asturias Príncipe de Asturias] *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_ship_Juan_Carlos_I_(L61) Juan Carlos I] ;United Kingdom *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centaur_class_aircraft_carrier Centaur class] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Centaur_(R06) HMS Centaur] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Albion_(R07) HMS Albion] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Bulwark_(R08) HMS Bulwark] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Hermes_(R12) HMS Hermes] *1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier **''Colossus'' class ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Colossus_(R15) HMS Colossus] ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Glory_(R62) HMS Glory] ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ocean_(R68) HMS Ocean] ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Venerable_(R63) HMS Venerable] ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Vengeance_(R71) HMS Vengeance] ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Pioneer_(R76) HMS Pioneer] (maintenance carrier) ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Warrior_(R31) HMS Warrior] ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Theseus_(R64) HMS Theseus] ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Triumph_(R16) HMS Triumph] ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Perseus_(R51) HMS Perseus] (maintenance carrier) **''Majestic'' class (none saw service in the Royal Navy) ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Melbourne_(R21) Majestic] ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Sydney_(R17) Terrible] ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMCS_Magnificent_(CVL_21) Magnificent] ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INS_Vikrant_(R11) Hercules] ***[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMCS_Bonaventure_(CVL_22) Powerful] *([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invincible_class_aircraft_carrier Invincible class]) **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Invincible_(R05) HMS Invincible] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Illustrious_(R06) HMS Illustrious] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ark_Royal_(R07) HMS Ark Royal] ;United States *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_class_aircraft_carrier Independence class] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Bataan_(CVL-29) USS Bataan] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Belleau_Wood_(CVL-24) USS Belleau Wood] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Cabot_(CVL-28) USS Cabot] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Cowpens_(CVL-25) USS Cowpens] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Independence_(CVL-22) USS Independence] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Langley_(CVL-27) USS Langley] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Monterey_(CVL-26) USS Monterey] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Princeton_(CVL-23) USS Princeton] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_San_Jacinto_(CVL-30) USS San Jacinto] *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saipan_class_aircraft_carrier Saipan class] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Saipan_(CVL-48) USS Saipan] **[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Wright_(CVL-49) USS Wright] http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Light_aircraft_carrier&action=edit&section=4 edit See also *Anti-submarine warfare carrier *Escort carrier *Helicopter carrier http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Light_aircraft_carrier&action=edit&section=5 edit Notes #'^' Chesneau (1998), pp. 129-134 #^ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_aircraft_carrier#cite_ref-Watts1967p.49_1-0 a''] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_aircraft_carrier#cite_ref-Watts1967p.49_1-1 ''b] Watts(1967)p.49 #^ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_aircraft_carrier#cite_ref-Brown1977pp.21-22_2-0 a''] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_aircraft_carrier#cite_ref-Brown1977pp.21-22_2-1 ''b] Brown(1977)pp.21-22 #'^' Watts(1967)pp.54&56 #'^' Brown(1977)pp.26-27 #^ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_aircraft_carrier#cite_ref-Watts1967p.56_5-0 a''] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_aircraft_carrier#cite_ref-Watts1967p.56_5-1 ''b] Watts(1967)p.56 #^ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_aircraft_carrier#cite_ref-Brown1977pp.27-28_6-0 a''] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_aircraft_carrier#cite_ref-Brown1977pp.27-28_6-1 ''b] Brown(1977)pp.27-28 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Light_aircraft_carrier&action=edit&section=6 edit References *Brown, David (1977). Aircraft Carriers. Arco Publishing. ISBN 0-668-04164-1. *Chesneau, Roger (1998). Aircraft Carriers of the World, 1914 to the Present. An Illustrated Encyclopedia (Rev Ed). London: Brockhampton Press. pp. 288. ISBN 1-86019-875-9. *Watts, Anthony J. (1967). Japanese Warships of World War II. Doubleday & Company. Category:Aircraft carriers by type Category:Modern Ship Types